More important: Water or Live Rock?

chunky · 05-02-2008, 02:38 PM

Hi all. I've been lurking on the site for a while and wanted to first thank everyone for the wealth of knowledge I've picked up from here. It's really made things much easier for me.

Now that thank you's are out of the way, I was wondering which is more important to have, more water in the tank or more live rock. I have a 39 gal (before all the rock and equipment) tank with about 55 pounds of live rock and 20 pounds of live sand throughout. I noticed that I still have room in the fuge for a few small rocks but I was wondering if it really would be more benificial to replace the water with more rock. I should mention that I'm not having any problems with too much bioload or anything like that. Just curious. So what do you guys think?

BigAl07 · 05-02-2008, 02:43 PM

From my estimations.... if everything is going good now I would vote for H2O volume. You're right on the money for lbs/gallon of LR so I'd opt for more water. Remember...

Dilution is the solution to pollution!

goldenmean · 05-02-2008, 02:48 PM

In your situation I agree with AL.
Water volume.

chunky · 05-02-2008, 02:59 PM

Sweet deal. That's what I was leaning towards also. I'm pretty lazy so anytime the advice is "do nothing", I can handle it! Thanks for the quick replies.

CATALYST · 05-02-2008, 03:32 PM

You could use the space for some other type of filtering like carbon...

blue_eyes53813 · 05-02-2008, 03:53 PM

Hello Welcome to RS.......

BigAl07 · 05-02-2008, 03:54 PM

Hello

and welcome! My apology.. I didn't even realize that was post #1 !! Where are my manners! oh yeah.. I don't have any!!

Welcome and Enjoy the REEF!!

Stacef · 05-02-2008, 04:11 PM

Welcome!!

burning2nd · 05-02-2008, 06:47 PM

more water = more Live rock no?

that how im looking at it.

Dentoid · 05-02-2008, 07:08 PM

Welcome Chunky! Happy to have you aboard. There was a time when the thinking was fill the tank with LR for best results. Unfortunately, this leads to many problems like detritus build up, difficulty in maintenance, lack of water volume and lack of swimming space for fish, which means less fish. You've got an adequate amount of rock to get you started. You can always add more later if you get a bigger sump. All the best!

lcstorc · 05-02-2008, 07:09 PM

Welcome to RS!
Sounds like you have plenty of LR. I would move some of the LR to the fuge and open up the display for more swimming room.

rmlevasseur · 05-02-2008, 07:18 PM

I think this question depends on how heavily you stock. If you are getting zero readings than you have enough LR to do the job. With that said, I am in the camp that prefers more LR. I just think it adds extra stability to the tank that can't be beat.

05-02-2008, 02:38 PM	#1 (permalink)
chunky Bryozoan Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 47 View Gallery Karma Komment	More important: Water or Live Rock? Hi all. I've been lurking on the site for a while and wanted to first thank everyone for the wealth of knowledge I've picked up from here. It's really made things much easier for me. Now that thank you's are out of the way, I was wondering which is more important to have, more water in the tank or more live rock. I have a 39 gal (before all the rock and equipment) tank with about 55 pounds of live rock and 20 pounds of live sand throughout. I noticed that I still have room in the fuge for a few small rocks but I was wondering if it really would be more benificial to replace the water with more rock. I should mention that I'm not having any problems with too much bioload or anything like that. Just curious. So what do you guys think?

05-02-2008, 02:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? From my estimations.... if everything is going good now I would vote for H2O volume. You're right on the money for lbs/gallon of LR so I'd opt for more water. Remember... Dilution is the solution to pollution! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

05-02-2008, 02:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
chunky Bryozoan Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Washington Posts: 47 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? Sweet deal. That's what I was leaning towards also. I'm pretty lazy so anytime the advice is "do nothing", I can handle it! Thanks for the quick replies.

05-02-2008, 03:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
CATALYST Reef Lobster Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: SoCal Posts: 1,442 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? You could use the space for some other type of filtering like carbon... __________________ _.:Bonni:._

05-02-2008, 03:53 PM	#6 (permalink)
blue_eyes53813 Hey!Its not my fault Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Lancaster, Wisconsin Posts: 8,024 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? Hello Welcome to RS....... __________________ 265 Gallon Reef built into basement wall. Lighting = 6x250 watts MH, 2x96 watt PC ,and 2x140 watt VHO for a total watt of 1,972 watts . New addition on 4-14-07 of 100 gallon sump and 100 gallon refugium. I think I have lost my mind. Gotta love this hobby Vicki Life is like a pathway of untrodden snow. Be careful how you step in it for every mark will show Definition of FRIENDSHIP: All lives touch other lives to create something new and alive My tank chronicles. http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...wall-reef.html

05-02-2008, 03:54 PM	#7 (permalink)
BigAl07 Do I look as lost as I am Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 21,549 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? Hello and welcome! My apology.. I didn't even realize that was post #1 !! Where are my manners! oh yeah.. I don't have any!! Welcome and Enjoy the REEF!! __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~ *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Allen's home-made formula...currentNO3-((%WC.01)currentNO3)=finalNO3 (thanks Luukosian) This means if you change 50% of your total water volume (That's EVERYTHING) you'll get a net reduction of (NO3) somewhere around 50%. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!!* Big Al's 10g Julie's (BigAl's Gal) 6g NanoCube Gone but not forgotten BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef

05-02-2008, 04:11 PM	#8 (permalink)
Stacef Golden Moray Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Dubuque Posts: 2,620 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? Welcome!! __________________ Stace My 72g Build-full of pictures, we all know you loce pictures! I've had to pay my price. The things I did not know at first, I learned by doin' twice. -Billy Joel

05-02-2008, 06:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
burning2nd Golden Moray Join Date: May 2006 Location: PA Posts: 2,287 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? more water = more Live rock no? that how im looking at it. __________________ ________________________________________________ 30g, 10g DIY sump w/ mag7 Csr90 over flow. 36" sunpod 2x150 2 Tunze 6020 40 Lb's Live Rock 20 lb's of Ls Aqua C REmora mIxed reef, softies, pora's, clams, 1 Amphiprion ocellaris (hosting GTA) jake the jedi sexy shrimp, and brown bob

05-02-2008, 07:09 PM	#11 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,433 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? Welcome to RS! Sounds like you have plenty of LR. I would move some of the LR to the fuge and open up the display for more swimming room. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

05-02-2008, 07:18 PM	#12 (permalink)
rmlevasseur Acropora Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Minnesota Posts: 1,849 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: More important: Water or Live Rock? I think this question depends on how heavily you stock. If you are getting zero readings than you have enough LR to do the job. With that said, I am in the camp that prefers more LR. I just think it adds extra stability to the tank that can't be beat. __________________ Robert http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...ufas-tank.html

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